It's pretty long and he gives a lot of background about the whole thing that I had not heard.

Some takeaways:- It was well documented that protesters from all over the country went there, but what I had not heard was there were a bunch of racist right wing nut cops and former military people that also traveled there to fight protesters alongside the actual police and military. They had rubber bullets and water cannons and stuff. You know, stuff that happens in a totally normal, healthy country. - The leader of the tribe was corrupt and even owns a gas station himself. His sister is a big shot at the Dept of the Interior, which is also corrupt. The protest was started by like 3 kids, and they were protesting the tribal leaders as much as anything.- Obama announced the project was halted on December 4th, 2016, after Hillary had lost to Trump. He had to know Trump would just reverse the decision. After Obama announced it was halted, none of the pipeline equipment or workers left. They just hung out until Trump green lighted it in January.- The original pipeline was going to go through part of Bismarck, ND. But the people got to vote and rejected it. They rerouted it through the reservation but the tribe didn't get to have the same kind of vote.

Basically, what we saw at Standing Rock and what is happening in Gaza right now is basically watching imperialism or colonialism happening in real time. It's still going on. We act like it ended once America was established all the way to the West coast over a hundred years ago, but nope, it's still going on today.

As Kinder Morgan Inc. drives a hard bargain in Canada’s attempt to save the Houston-based company’s embattled Trans Mountain project, the prime minister could end up fighting for an asset that hardly anybody wants. Pipeline giant Enbridge Inc., for one, signaled it doesn’t.

Trudeau’s government upped the ante this week, with Finance Minister Bill Morneau pledging to indemnify the $7.4 billion project for politically motivated delays and backstop any company willing to take it on. Trudeau said “there are alternatives if Kinder Morgan” decides it wants out.

Alberta’s oilsands are a crucial part of Canada’s economy and the expanded pipeline to British Columbia’s shore could help get better prices for the country’s crude in Asia. But finding an alternative investor in the face of fierce opposition in the coastal province would be easier said than done, according to Jihad Traya, manager of strategic energy advisory services for HSB Solomon Associates LLC in Calgary.

“I’m a little perplexed,” Traya said, adding that any attempt to sell the project would be very cumbersome. “So, what part are they going to take over? The expansion? And then, that creates some very interesting intra-agency issues.”

Getting Alberta oil out of Alberta is increasingly important to Canada's overall economy, and they are facing roadblocks everywhere.

* Energy East project (TransCanada), going basically straight east then south has been cancelled due to opposition from Ontario/Quebec.* Keystone XL (TransCanada) delayed by Obama's rejection, now bogged down in Nebraska routing issues.* Previous Enbridge project to the west coast was cancelled, due to opposition from BC / First Nations.* Enbridge fighting Michigan on keeping Line 5 active (passes under Straits of Mackinac).

The main problem is that Alberta is blocked from export ports or other refining markets by provinces or states that steadfastly oppose new pipeline projects, a lot of times based on geographic challenges (river crossings, aquifers, etc.). Based on how the oil is produced, which is much closer to mining than drilling, the production costs are already sunk. Until pipeline capacity catches up, Canada is forced to significantly discount their oil compared to other sources to get buyers. So it basically suppresses the entire market for one of Canada's key natural resource exports.

It is an interesting case. The federal government using taxpayer dollars to purchase a private asset and a project, to turn around and fight a provincial government to gain approval. A pipeline and project that all other private companies said "thanks but no thanks" to. They're all tired of fighting losing battles. Important to keep in mind that the main players here (Kinder-Morgan, Enbridge, TransCanada) are all not producers. They get paid to transport. They don't lose money on the discounted barrels--they would only lose out on additional revenue from moving more barrels. The Canadian government's interest is more global--extending to the production companies, and overall Canadian economy.